Control system



2 Sheets-Sheet v 1 F. P. ELLIOTT CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Feb. 22, 1944 000000000 0000000000 0000000000 0000000000 0009000000 0000000000 0000000000 0000000000 0000000000 00000000 0 woo oooooo 000 17 -ooo 000 000 000 Ndv. 25, 1947.

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CONTROL SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 22, 1944 Patented Nov. 25, 1947 UNITED STAT ES PAT osrics CONTROL SYSTEM- Francis;Percy Elliott, TorontogQntario, Canada Application February 22, 1944, Serial No. 52354915 (Cl. ZOO- 416) Claims. 1 This, invention relates. to an. electric control system and is particularly directed. to providing a central system for an electrically illuminated; dis-.

play sign of the type wherein the electric lamps.

forming; the display are illuminatedat and for predetermined time intervals.

Electrically illuminated display signs are well known; and are in wide spread. use for advertising purposes. The present invention is directed providing a control system for an. illuminatedsign of the type wherein a predetermined arrangement. of electric lamps are illuminated at and for predetermined time intervals.

One of the objects of the invention i to provide a control system for an electrically illuminated display sign of: the flashingtype in which the display flashed on the signcan be changed by an. easily executed rearrangement of the circuits to selected lamps to be illuminated without any rearrangement of the lamps and/or the sign structure.

A2 further object of: the invention is to provide acontrolsystem in which a display to be flashed on an electrically illuminated sign can be easily changed without any appreciable shutdown in the operation of the sign.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a. control system for an. electrically illuminated display sign which is inexpensive to manufacture and install and when in operation requires a minimum of attention.

An. understanding of the manner-in which the above and other objects of the invention are attained may be had from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of the electrical connections from each of a plurality of electric lamps forming a display sign through a master control panel to the control system;

Figure 2 is a top-plan view of the perforated plate;

Figure 3 isa top plan view of an arrangement for raising and lowering the electrically energized plate at predetermined intervals;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the modificati'on illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 5. is a side elevation of a driving arrangement;

Figure 6 is a detail, fragmentary view of the control system illustrated in Figure 1; and

Figure 7' isv a side elevation of a suitable form ofconnector.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawings.

A physical? embodiment. of the control: systemv on the present invention comprises, in general; a: display sign formed. of aplurality of rowsof elec-i trio; lamps, a contact plate having a plurality" of rows of" connectors, each connector terminatin in an electrical: contact, electrically energized means. and means forcompleting the electrical circuits from the electrically energized means to. selected contacts, and means for closing and opening; the electrical circuits at predetermined; intervals.

Referring tothe drawingsthenumerar l ll in dicates. a. display; sign: formed. of a plurality of rows of electric lamps I:l Each lamp H is con-e nected; by a wire 1:2; to. a connector I 3 which is mounted in the master control panel M. For convenience, each connector P3 is mounted" in: the. control panel: Ml in a position corresponding tojthe, positon of thelamp lil in' the sign to Whichit is connected:

Each connector I231 is.- connected", bya wire I 5,

t.o. a. similarly positioned connector I I- mounted the. contact plate I16 Each. connector I 1 preferably extends transversely through the contact;

plate. and terminates in a. recessed end which is adapted to receive a removable; spherical shaped contact L8: which extends beyond the surface or the-contactplate, I56. The contacts I8 areformed of or coated with electrically conductive material while the contact plate is formed of electrically non-conductive material according to standard practice.

The electrically energized means. is preferably in the form of a plate 2|; which is: formed of orcoated with electrically conductive material such as-coppen, The dimensions of the energized plate 2| are: approximately the same as or slightly larger. than thosecf the surface of the contacts carried by; the plate Hi. The plate 2| is prefer ably mounted. parallel to and spaced apart from the contact plate, l6 and isconnected to a: source of electrical power'by' the. lead: 22;

A. plate I9 is; mounted between the electrically energized plate 2| and contact: plate H5. The" plate 19. is of approximately the same size of the energized plate El and is preferably formed of electrically non-conductive material, and is formed with rows-of perforations 25 which, when the plate is in place, are in alignment with the rows of contacts I8 carried by the contact plate l6; The plate Ill is designed to carry the connectors;20=, which: are preferably of a dumb-bell shape the shank of each connector extending; throughfthe plat and: the conical shaped ends: contacting the electrically energized plate 21 and one of the contacts IS. The connectors 20 are arranged in the plate |9 to complete the electrical circuits from the electrically energized plate 2| to selected contacts l8 and through the contacts l8 and the connectors |1 associated therewith to the selected electric lamps to be illuminated and form th display to be flashed on the sign.

The connectors 20 are arranged in the plate IS in the design to be flashed on the display sign and they complete the electrical circuits only to those contacts |8 which are connected to the lamps which form the display. For example, in Figure 2, connectors 20 are shown as applied to the plate If! to form the letters ET. These connectors contact correspondingly positioned contacts l8 which, in turn, complete the circuits to the lamps which form the letters ET in the sign.

Various arrangements for closing and opening the electrical circuits at predetermined intervals can be incorporated into the system. For example, a mechanical arrangement such as illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and can be used. In this arrangement, lugs 3| extending from the electrically energized plate 2| are mounted in guides 30 formed in the frame 32. In its lowest position in the guides 30, the plate 2| rests on the uppermost contact surfaces of the connectors 20 and in its highest position, the plate is clear of those contact surfaces. The plate 2| is raised and lowered by the rotation of cams 33 which are in continuous contact with the under surface of the lugs 3 I.

The rotation of the cams 33 is, of course, synchronized so that the cams are all in the same relative position during their rotation. The cams are driven from the motor 40 through a pinion 4|, a gear 42, drive shafts 46 and 41 and gears 42, 43 and 44, the cams being mounted on the shafts 46 and 41, which shafts are driven by the gears 42 and 44 respectively. Springs 50 are preferably mounted in each guide 30 above the lugs 3| to exert an opposing pressure against the plate and thereby improve the connection between the plate and the surfaces of the contacts.

A simpler and preferred arrangement for closing and opening the electrical circuits to the selected lamps, is by the provision of a time switch 24 in the power line to the electrically energized plate, as illustrated in Figure 1. A standard form of time switch can be used for this purpose and can be set to close and open the circuits at predetermined intervals.

The operation of the control system is very simple. The contacts 20 are arranged in the plate l9 according to the display to be flashed on the sign. The plate I9 is then placed in its posi tion between the electrically energized and contact plates, one contact surface of each of the connectors 20 being in contact with a correspondingly positioned contact |8 0n the contact plate l6. The electrical circuits through the connectors 20 to the selected lamps in the sign are closed and opened such as in the manner described hereinabove.

It is found that the control system of the present invention has many advantages. For example, the system is inexpensive to construct, install and operate. It can be located in any position convenient to the operator and its location is entirely independent of the location of the display sign to which it is connected. Changes in the display to be flashed on the sign can be made quite easily by an easily xecuted re-arrangement of the connectors 20 in the plate l9. Where it is desired to change the display at frequent intervals, a number of plates |9 can be prepared beforehand and easily inserted in their operative positions at the required times. The control system also can be used in conjunction with control systems for other types of display signs, such as display signs of the animated and travelling message types.

It will be understood, of course, that modifications can be made in the embodiment of the invention described and illustrated herein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a control system for an electrically illuminated sign, a non-electric conductive contact plate having a plurality of rows of electrical connectors, each connector being connected to an electric lamp and the number of connectors corresponding to the number of lamps in the sign to be illuminated, each connector terminating in a ball shaped electrical contact, extending beyond the surface of the plate, an electrically energized plate parallel to and spaced apart from said contact plate, a non-electric conductive plate between said contact and electrically energized plates and spaced apart therefrom, said non-electric conductive plate having rows of perforations alignable with said contacts, and electrical connectors extending through selected perforations for completing the electrical circuits from said electrically energized plate to aligned contacts on the contact plate, and means for closing and opening said circuits at predetermined intervals.

2. In a control system for an electrically illuminated sign, a non-electric conductive contact plate having a plurality of rows of electrical connectors, each connector being connected to an electric lamp and the number of connectors corresponding to the number of lamps in the sign to be illuminated, each connector terminating in an electrical contact extending beyond the surface of the plate, an electrically energized plate parallel to and spaced apart from said contact plate, a non-electric conductive plate between said contact and electrically energized plates and spaced apart therefrom, said nonelectric conductive plate having rows of perforations alignable with said contacts, and electrical connectors extending through selected perforations for completing the electrical circuits from said electrically energized plate to aligned contacts on the contact plate, and timing means for closing and opening the completed electrical circuits at predetermined intervals.

3. In a control system for an electrically illuminated sign, a non-electric conductive contact plate having a plurality of rows of electrical connectors, each connector being connected to.

an electric lamp and the number of connectors corresponding to the number of lamps in the sign to be illuminated and each connector terminating in an electrical contact extending beyond the surface of the plate, an electrically energized plate parallel to and spaced apart from said contact plate, a non-electric conductive plate between said contact and electrically energized plates and spaced apart therefrom, said nonelectric conductive plate having rows of perforations alignable with said contacts, and electrical connectors extending through selected perforations for completing the electrical circuits from said electrically energized plate to aligned contacts on the contact plate, and means for moving said electrically energized plate into and out of contact with the electrical connectors carried by said perforated, non-electric conductive plate to close and open the completed electrical circuits at predetermined intervals.

4. In a control system for an electrically illuminated sign, a non-electric conductive contact plate having a plurality of rows of electrical connectors, the number of connectors corresponding to the number of lamps in the sign to be illuminated, and each connector terminating in an electrical contact extending beyond the surface of the plate, electrically energized means substantially parallel to and spaced apart from said contact plate, a non-electric conductive plate between said electrically energized means and said contact plate, said non-electric conductive plate having rows of perforations alignalole with said contacts, and electrical connectors extending through selected perforations for completing the electrical circuits from the electrically energized means to aligned contacts on the contact plate, and means for closing and opening said circuits at predetermined intervals.

5. In a control system for an electrically illuminated sign, a non-electric conductive contact plate having a plurality of roWs of electrical connectors, the number of connectors corresponding to the number of lamps in the sign to be illuminated and each connector terminating 6 in an electrical contact extending beyond the surface of the plate, electrically energized means substantially parallel to and spaced apart from said contact plate, a perforated plate formed of electrically non-conductive materials between and spaced apart from said electrically energized means and said contact plate, the rows of perforations being alignable with said contacts, and electrical connectors extending through selected perforations of said perforated plate for completing the electrical circuits from the electi'ically energized means to aligned contacts on the contact plate, and means for closing and opening said circuits at predetermined time intervals.

FRANCIS PERCY ELLIOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,177,771 Grauert Oct. 31, 1939 2,137,131 Cheli Nov. 15, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 471,964 Germany Feb. 22, 1929 

